Toroidal winding machine



p 2,851,112 v e ToRomAL WnsDING MACHINE Raymond W. T ibbetts, Camden,-Mine, assignor to Tibbetts Laboratories, Inc., Camden, Maine, a corporation of Maine Appliation Apri1`271'9s4, serial $10,425,881

4 claims. (Cl. 242-4) The present invention relates to winding machines and more partlcularly to toroidal Winding machines and to means for controlling the necessary loop in the wire ,dur-` ing the operation cycles of coil winding.

One method of winding a coil of wirel on a toroidal or rmg core is to place the supply to be wound on a bobbin supported by a winding ring which travels at a constant rate about its axis through the hole of the core. In em polying this method each winding or operation cycle produces a turn around the core. i

Heretofore several diierent mechanical methods have been provided for controlling the loop but these-have been limited to`wires having minimum diametersof 'approximately two mils, it having beenA found 'thatfa loop of wire having a diameter smaller than two mils` cannot be suitably maintained in proper relationship` during the Winding cycle by mechanical means without undue breakage or the necessity of greatly reducing the speedofthe mechanism.

Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a suitable means for maintaining the loop of the wire as it passesthrough its winding cycle so that it does not become twisted or tangled, ,and particularly tomaintain said loop when it is formed of fine wire. Another object is to provide a means formaintaining the loop without undue breakage, while a still further object is to provide means for maintaining the loop withoutthe necessity of greatly reducing the speed of the winding mechanism.

According to the present invention the process comprises maintaining the wire winding mechanism of the type that produce a loop during each operation cycle, submerged in a viscous uid, at least to the extent that the loop which is formed as a result of the operation cycles is covered or immersed with the viscous huid. In order that the loop be so covered; the winding mechanism may be partially or totally submerged.

In another aspect the invention comprises a machine for winding wire about a toroid or ring core, in which the winding mechanism is .at least partially submerged in a viscous fluid. The machine comprises a winding ring which supports a bobbin from which the wire is unwound, a ring core and a receptacle with a viscous fluid therein. The winding ring, bobbin and ring core are provided with means for their rotation in the receptacle while they are at least partially submerged in the viscous fluid, preferably to the extent that the necessary loop that is formed is submerged beneath said viscous lluid.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been pointed out above, others will become apparent from the following disclosure of a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view with a portion of the huid-tight receptacle broken away; and

Fig. 2 is a top plan view. l

The toroidal winding machine of the present invention has for its principal parts a fluid-tight receptacle or cas- 2,857,112` Patented Oct.` 21, 1958 i ing-1 enclosedtherein aftoroid winding mechanism comprising a Winding ring 2 having ka bobbinr3 therein which r(is'bfieely, rotatable., on its axis and from v which wire I isglfed.toz'ringlcore 5- as winding ring 2 hole of the ring core.,

rotates ,aboutyitsv axis andmakes -its cycle through .the

kWinding'ringz is supportedl ina `horizontal plane and rotatedgby.grooved-driverollers 7 whichare mounted Llp'o'nrshafts 8WhCh pass through the packing vglands 9k and ythrouglrthe .bottom :of the fluid-tight receptacle 1. Positionedmbeneat ,acking'gljands 9 yon shafts 8` are pinions,;1 0 vwhich Atare-drivenby gear 12 which/in turn is connected tosdrive-shaft lpgwhich is V[connected to a suitablepower source., 't

.fRing'core A5 is supportedand" rotated` at a right angle i to winding ringlfbyzggrooved worm wheels 16V and 17 which are suitably rotated by worm 18 mounted in supporting blocks-19 whichextend between the sidesV of U-shaped plate 2 0.. Pressure roller 21- andA its associ-v atedflever-arrn,22gprovide thenecessary weight to ,hold

the; core 5 against ythe jdrive' rollers 16 and 17. The

worm 18 kis `rotated by'grooved worm gear 23 which is in' turnrotatedby worm 2.4 mounted on shaft- 25 extending through-the bottom -of fluid-tight receptacle 1 and packing gland 26 to a suitable; power' source which is preferably separate from the source driving shaft 13.

The wire 27 to be wound about thering core 5 is 'on bobbin 3' and,` as'theV drive rollers 7 cause 4the winding ring. 2-to rotate. onits cyclezvthrough the hole of said core, the wire forms-1a. loop 2.7.1 which is drawntaut-as therin'gcompletes itscycle. lTo preventthefwire 27 from becoming tangled. andtbroken, 'particularly if it be finel standV4 33. .isfraisedyfpwardlyf.and wound ring core 5 is` removed and a new one inserted.

Of course it is not necessary to submerge all of the above described winding mechanism since the viscous huid need only be present in an amount sufficient to cover the loop. In addition it is obvious that in a device employing the winding ring in a horizontal position, less fluid is required to cover the mechanism. The presence of the viscous uid is a highly efficient means of controlling the Wire loop in that the drag of the wire through the viscous medium automatically maintains the loop arid in laddition the viscosity of the medium also tends to tension the Wire during winding.

The viscous uid employed is preferably oil so that, in addition to maintaining the loop and providing tension on the wire, it serves to lubricate the working parts within the receptacle and thereby helps to maintain their working life. It will be noted that so long as the uid does not harm the working parts and so long as it is of such viscosity .as to provide the proper drag for the loop, it is suitable for use in the present invention.

It will be noted that the ring core 5 is independently operated from the winding ring drive means.' This is to permit the winding of any amount of wire on the core and so that the core may be reversed or oscillated in the vent it is desirable to wind only a segment of the ring core.

The viscosity of the fluids suitable for use in the present invention have been found to. have a reasonably large range. Suitable for use with soft copper wire having a diameter of 1.5 mils, which is being wound at 1000 R. P. M., is an oil having a Saybolt viscosity at 100 F..of to 95 seconds. It will be obvious that for wires having larger diameters a more viscous oil is desirable in that the loop is maintained by virtue of the viscosity of the o il. Of course the speed at which the machine Operates is f a contributifa tor to the maintenance of diameter up totwo milsandmore; whchdiameters'gpar' ticularly in soft wire, have not heretofreibeelnas successfully woundl -as l when thepr'esent inv'entic'm'is'l employed. It should be noted that--th'e-'spi'rt of the l'invention is applicable to 1 any Vrapid"Winding* op'elrationjwheieirai necessary loop is-.formed and the in'antl:nance 'of'tliegloop. and the avoidance of `tanglingandil`1re`ak'fg1-s` Voffthe' 'wire is a-problem-regardlessl oil'tlefdimterjofthe wird."

It will be understodtht thei'above'di'sclosurissfor" the purpose of illustration only anfftha't `tl1`e'inve11;tio`n must "include all modifications iarid'"e.`q'l'1iv:'1lents which fall withiny the scope ofl the appended-l aim'sf-A v- I claim: ,f V... l. A machine-fon winding iviref abot'-"a`co're=com prising a container, liquid intlifcont-ainerlup tol alprer 1 nhg,

loops of wire from twistln around-the-core: -f

3. A machine for winding Wire about a core comprising a container, liquid in the container up to a predetermined level therein, a bobbin ring adapted to carry the wire and having a portion disposed horizontally in the liquid below said level, meansafon-supporting a core Within said ring, and means for rotating the bobbinring about its axis whileV 4said-portion'is'submergedrepeatedly to determined level therein', a lbobbinriiigl'adapted-tocarry the wirefand'havingfa portiony 'disposedfin-the-liquid be# low said level, and means foi-- movirg tli'sbobbin'ringKin anA orbital path for repeatedlyl throwing vloopsof-said wirearound the core'andf-thenlnawingfthe lopstaut, y

said lloops being submerged iii-fthe'liquid,y whereby thelliq-k uid prevents the loopsl'offwireffronvtwistingortangling While being drawn aroundth'elcore 1- 2. A machine for winding wirefabout-airing core comprising a container,I Aliquid thee-*container up to a' predetermined level thereingfmeansifol*rotating the core'` about its axis in theliquid fbelowvsaidP-.levelgabobbinlrin'gy adapted to carry the-wire 'ndextendingathroughl thek core` in-a plane containingl said 'axisand meansffon rotating the bobbinring; abouti-its:i ax'isz/whileisiibmerged repeatedlyto throw loopsofl saidwir-aroundfthe ringl core and then draw vthe `loops taut; fsaid loops i being?. submerged in the liquid," whereby the, liquid.V prevents the-y for Erotating the bobbin ringl aboutY itsk axis-while -sub= merged repeatedly tot throw-@Oops of said wirefarund` the 'ring core and =then-fdraw1the-loops taut, said loops being submerged' in the liquid,A whereby the'- liquidpr'eventsthe loops of'wire from twisting -or tangling `while beingdravvnaround the core.' I

References Cited in-theil'le of vthisvpatent.-

UNITED STATES PATENTS 247,082' Manly et a1 Sept, 13 1'881 1,717,243 vNauk June 11, 1929' 2,087,606 Oppenlaender July 20, 1937 2,234,437" Kieler l Mar. 11, 1941'` 2,606,611 Fleischer Aug. l2, 1952 2,653,771 Turner u Sept; 29,I 195,3 '2,672,297` Harder r Mar. 16, 1954 1 v FORETGN PATENTS "415,594 Germany Iune12r`5f; 1925-, 741,922 `Germa11y;.. Nov. 19; 1943 

